Allies of Susie Wiles have reacted angrily after President Donald Trump announced that she would leave her post as White House chief of staff, with hardline adviser Stephen Miller set to take over following Republicans’ bruising midterm performance.
Trump said Friday that Miller would assume the powerful role on Monday. Wiles, meanwhile, will move to the Trump Political Operation, the organization responsible for campaign efforts.
The Daily Mail first reported in June that Wiles could be preparing to leave the chief of staff position. At the time, she strongly rejected the report.
Calling it “Friday fiction,” Wiles insisted that she was “not going anywhere.”
The leadership change comes only days after Democrats posted significant midterm gains, prompting renewed debate within the Republican Party over its campaign strategy and accountability for the losses.
Trump praised Wiles, saying she had performed an “outstanding job” and repeatedly emphasizing that she had been a highly effective chief of staff.
Wiles thanked Trump on X for giving her the opportunity to serve, describing the position as “the honor of a lifetime.”
She also congratulated Miller and voiced confidence that he would continue pushing forward with Trump’s agenda.
President Trump praised outgoing White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, saying she delivered an “outstanding job” and had performed “a great job” in the role
Fox News anchor Bret Baier said Trump’s decision to appoint Stephen Miller indicated that the president was “girding for a battle” after the Republican midterm losses
Indiana Representative Marlin Stutzman was reportedly urging Miller’s dismissal after Tuesday’s election losses and called Trump’s decision to promote him “a horrible decision”
The announcement has triggered widespread criticism, with most of the support coming from inside Trump’s administration.
As the November 19 leadership elections approach, expected House Speaker Hakeem Jeffries immediately targeted Miller with a series of harsh accusations and personal attacks.
“Stephen Miller is a dangerous xenophobe and reckless extremist who has American blood on his hands,” Jeffries wrote on X.
“His presence in government should be eradicated like a malignant tumor. Fire him today.”
Former Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene said Wiles’ new role in Trump’s political operation, which oversees campaign activity, could leave Republicans with “a 0 percent chance” of winning the 2028 presidential election.
Fox News anchor Bret Baier said Miller’s appointment suggested that Trump was preparing for a confrontation after the GOP’s midterm setbacks.
Baier added that Wiles had privately expected a possible shake-up following Tuesday’s results. He said Miller’s influence over immigration and deportation policy also offered a clear indication of the administration’s priorities for the next two years.
David Axelrod, the Democratic strategist and former senior adviser to President Barack Obama, also condemned the move.
“Few did more to contribute to the debacle the GOP just endured than Stephen Miller. The backlash to his brutal ICE raids and nativist rants can be seen in returns all over the country. And for that, he’s promoted?” Axelrod wrote.
Former Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene said Wiles’ new position in Trump’s campaign operation could leave Republicans with “a 0 percent chance” of winning the 2028 presidential election
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The Daily Mail reported in June that Wiles could be leaving her post, a claim she forcefully rejected by saying she was “not going anywhere”
Secretary of State Marco Rubio praised Wiles for serving with “exceptional strength, devotion, and grace” and said she had done an “incredible job” for Trump
Semafor reporter Nicholas Wu wrote on X that Indiana Representative Marlin Stutzman had been calling for Miller to be fired since Tuesday’s election losses. Stutzman reportedly described Trump’s decision to elevate Miller as “a horrible decision.”
Rubio took the opposite view, praising Wiles for serving the country with “exceptional strength, devotion, and grace” and calling her work for Trump “incredible.”
Rubio thanked Wiles for her service and friendship, wished her well in her next chapter and welcomed Miller’s promotion.
He called Miller one of Trump’s “most trusted and longtime advisors” and said he looked forward to working with him to advance the president’s agenda.
Vice President JD Vance also thanked Wiles for her friendship and service to Trump and the country.
Vance described Miller as an “amazing patriot,” congratulated him on a “well deserved promotion” and said he expected Miller to “do great things” in the influential position.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth offered a brief assessment of the change: “Patriots in control.”
Former White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt moved quickly to defend Wiles, calling her one of the “kindest and toughest” people she had ever known.
Leavitt, who described Wiles as both a friend and former boss, highlighted her status as the first woman to serve as White House chief of staff. She said Wiles had overseen the most productive start to a presidency in decades while also undergoing treatment for breast cancer.
At the same time, Leavitt endorsed Miller as the “perfect choice” to replace Wiles, praising his loyalty and commitment to Trump’s America First movement.
She said she had “complete confidence” that Miller would help make the final two years of Trump’s term successful and urged Republicans not to “fall into despair” or allow Democrats to regain control of the country.
Conservative attorney and Trump ally Mike Davis also praised Wiles, saying she had served Trump “extremely effectively” for years and helped guide his political comeback after 2020, which he called “the best-ever comeback in American history.”
Davis described Miller as “the perfect man for the moment” and said he was suited to serve as Trump’s “wartime general.”
Wiles has also faced questions about her family’s business connections to a pro-Russian government in the Balkans, including possible conflicts of interest involving her daughter, Katie Wiles.
Katie, a partner at the Washington lobbying firm Continental Strategy, traveled to Republika Srpska in August. During the trip, she was photographed holding a rifle beside the region’s interior minister, Željko Budimir, who is an ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The controversy intensified after Continental Strategy was found to have registered to lobby on behalf of Republika Srpska.
In September, Susie Wiles met at the White House with another senior political figure from the region, Željka Cvijanović.
The White House has denied that Wiles discussed her daughter’s business interests or used her official position to promote the firm’s work.